Dog Breeds - Beagle

The Beagle is a small - medium size dog breed, it belongs to the hound breed category and is quite like the foxhound only smaller with short legs and long ears. The Beagle was initially bread as a hunting dog because of its keen sense of smell and good hunting instinct, The beagle has proved itself as a great scent hound but because of its habit of following its nose and ignoring anything else it is essential that this dog breed is given obedience training and taught discipline at an early age. The beagle breed of dogs is a very intelligent breed and is a very popular breed to be kept as a pet, the traits that make it a great pet are its intelligence, its size, its calm temperament and a good health because of minimal inherited health problems. This breed of dogs is also known for its hunting skills while hunting pheasants, partridges, and rabbits.

Beagle Health and Diseases
The average lifespan of a beagle is 10-13 years, they are generally known to be healthy dogs and do not have many inherited health problems. Beagles may be known to suffer from epilepsy, but this dog disease can be controlled with medication. Hypothyroidism and some types of dwarfism occur in Beagles. Two dog diseases in particular are unique to this dog breed: Funny Puppy, in which the puppy is slow to develop and eventually develops weak legs, a crooked back and although normally healthy, is prone to a range of illnesses; Hip dysplasia, common in Harriers and in some larger breeds, is rarely considered a problem in Beagles. Beagles are considered a chondrodystrophic breed, meaning that they are known to have some types of disk diseases.